Electronic transactions, such as credit card transactions, can be conducted using smart cards. A smart card is a device that includes an embedded integrated circuit chip that can be either a secure processing module (e.g., microprocessor, microcontroller, or equivalent intelligence) operating with an internal or external memory or a memory chip alone. Smart cards can provide identification, authentication, data storage, and application processing, as well as serving as credit or ATM debit cards, phone or fuel cards, and high-security access-control cards for granting access to a building or computer. Smart cards can authenticate the identity of a user by employing a public key infrastructure (PKI). This authentication process may be conducted in a variety of ways, including through the use of a pin, password, or biometric authentication, or a combination of methods for added layers of security.